Care Briefs

Written by Press Staff Writer

October 14, 2010

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Celebrate autumn at Senior Wellness Day The Eastern Community YMCA and the James “Wes” Hancock Senior Center will present a Senior Wellness Day to celebrate autumn Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Y, located at 2960 Pickle Rd., Oregon.

The event, which is free and open to the community, will include lunch and door prizes. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be flu and pneumonia shots, health screenings and informational displays for businesses and agencies that provide goods and services for seniors.

Caregiver Expo plannedThe 3rd Annual Caregiver Expo will be held Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the SeaGate Convention Centre in downtown Toledo.

More than 60 booths will be available at the event, which is an annual celebration and informative resource for caregivers.

For more information, call Sherry Secoy at the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. at 419-725-6957.

Family Caregiver Support Families, not social service agencies, nursing homes or government programs, are the main providers of long-term care for older persons in northwestern Ohio, according to the Area Office on Aging Northwestern Ohio, which provides services to a 10-county region including Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood counties.

The AOoA’s Family Caregiver Support Program, which is funded by the Older American Act Amendments of 2000, recognizes the monumental role caregivers play in caring for older family members. The program offers a variety of services including:

• Information to caregivers about available services;

• Assistance in gaining access to services;

• Counseling, support groups and caregiver training;

• Information about respite care.

• Supplemental services to complement the care provided by family caregivers.

Some services, such as in-home care, an overnight stay in a facility, transportation or equipment may have a co-pay based on the income of the person that you are caring for. No one is denied services for an inability to pay.

For more information about the AOoA’s Family Caregiver Support Program, call 419-382-0624 or 1-800-472-7277 or visit www.areaofficeonaging.com. The Web site offers links to free online education (OCE) at the University of Toledo, Center for Successful Aging on such topics as Staying at Home: Safety vs. Independence, Normal Aging: A Review of the Systems, Community Resources and Substance Abuse in Older Adults. There is also a link to Caregiving Smarts ™, The Resource Guide for Families & Persons Caring for Older Adults.

For Men OnlyCaring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia is a challenge. Changes in the person’s thinking, behavior and mood caused by the progression of the disease can lead to frustration, anxiety and a range of emotions for the caregiver. Men encounter unique issues, so the Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter, is offering a caregivers group for men only.

The program will be hosted at the Association’s office at 2500 North Reynolds Rd., Toledo, on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 7 p.m. The next meeting will be held Nov. 4. The facilitator is Bob Haush, LISW.

Male caregivers attending will find a relaxed, confidential atmosphere for a facilitated round-table discussion. Various topics will be discussed, from communication and challenging behaviors, to progression of the disease. Participants will also occasionally view videos, followed by discussion.

To register for the free community program, call 419-537-1999 or toll free 1-800-272-3900.

Access to health info, referrals as easy as 2-1-1Need help but don’t know where to turn?

Residents of Lucas, Wood, Ottawa, Hancock and Erie counties may obtain free, 24-hour-a-day access to confidential referrals to health and social services and information about volunteer opportunities by calling United Way 2-1-1.

Within the region, there are literally thousands of phone numbers for health and social service programs, donation clearinghouses, government offices, educational systems, and neighborhood groups. United Way 2-1-1 enables people to dial an easy-to-remember, three-digit number to get connected to the help they need when they need it. By simply dialing 2-1-1, people are connected to trained and knowledgeable information & referral specialists with access to accurate and up-to-date information.

United Way Volunteer Center is also part of United Way 2-1-1. People interested in community service can match their volunteer interests with nearly 300 community partners.

People using cell or pay phones can access United Way 2-1-1 by calling 1-800-650-HELP. Information and referral and volunteer matching resources may also be accessed online at www.unitedwaytoledo.org.

In July 2000, the Federal Communications Commission ruled that the telephone number 2-1-1 be designated nationwide as the number to call for access to non-emergency information on health and human services. As of April of this year, more than 240 million Americans – more than 80 percent of the American population - have access to United Way 2-1-1.

Hands-on education for caregiversHospice of Northwest Ohio offers a free workshop to address the needs of people caring for sick, frail or debilitated loved ones at home.

The workshops include discussions and interactive demonstrations to help family caregivers deal with various care needs including bathing, making an occupied bed, skin care, feeding, incontinence care and more.

Call 419-931-3408 or visit www.hospicenwo.org for more information, to register or to find out when workshops are scheduled.